The Carajia Sarcophagi

Another interesting place and not too well known in South America is the Carajia Sarcophagi.

Located in Carajia, province of Luya, Amazonas - Peru. The earthenware coffins are right on the edge of a hill, facing east, like most of the acient
andean sculptures.

The locals call them “purunmachos”, the Carajia Sarcophagi were discovered in 1984 by the arqueologist Federico Kauffmann. They belong to the
Chachapoyas Culture, called also "The Warriors of the Clouds". Some people believes between the chachapoyas were also white-skinned blond people.

Part of the site was destroyed by an earthquake in 1928. Originally they were more. I tried to find good links in english, but they all have to little
info to be considered.

Here is a text from the man who discovered it, translated with Google :

By: Federico Kauffmann Doig *

Among the ancient Peruvians, the cult of the dead reached exceptional trim, judging by the rich ritual that these tributes to their dead. Demonstrated
by the deployment implemented to preserve the bodies of their loved ones, mummification, or the special care put into the construction of dwellings
for the eternal rest.

All this because the idea firmly ruled that, to corrupt the body, either by putrefaction or other destructive agent, ended the life experienced by the
loved one beyond death.

Human-like.

As for the Chachapoyas, residents of the northern Andes and Amazon pre-Inca, these two basic patterns used funerary mausoleum (or chullpa pukullo in
Quechua) and the sarcophagus or purun-machu.

The sarcophagi of the Chachapoyas are formed by a kind of large capsule walls built of clay mixed with small stones, some bits of wood and straw or
ichu.

His appearance, head, bust and body evokes the contours of a human being. As vacuum inside the sarcophagus giving it room to shelter a late
illustrious mummified sitting wrapped in tissue.

So, now a funeral package, the deceased was located in their respective burial coffin or capsule.

Prominent nose.

Chachapoyas sarcophagi have various forms, by its shape and size. Its distribution is limited to the left bank of the Utcubamba, it is a form of
burial is not repeated elsewhere in the Andean region. It should be emphasized that the sarcophagus Chachapoyas mimics the look it takes the burden
funeral Tiahuanaco-Huari stage (Middle Horizon). This is reflected in a particular way in relation to the head of the sarcophagus Chachapoyas
conspicuous Karajía those with their jaws over-marking, which seems to trace the flat masks made of wood, planted over the mummies Tiahuanaco-
Huari.

The heads of the Chachapoyas sarcophagi were modeled in clay. Therefore, seen a nose outgoing hook, apparently alluding to a beak of a bird of prey.
Originally, all Karajía coffins over their heads wore a skull ritual majesty gave them.

Antimony.

Karajía sarcophagi were placed in a cave high on a cliff, which was excavated by man on purpose. Not necessarily resorted to this procedure to
protect them from treasure hunters, as in ancient Peru had a deep respect for the dead.

Even his belongings were to be touched, because, according to the belief, still latent, the Defiler can suffer paralysis of one of its members could
even cause death by Revenge of the deceased. This is popularly known as "antimony."

Protected against time.

The recourse to the top of the cliffs had to be induced by the desire to protect them from the ravages of time. Certainly, to show his bare rock to
the surface, such as Canyon Karajía, that does not lead to grow vegetation on the site, which threatens to concentrate moisture conservation,
especially of organic material.

Additionally, these heights the wind blowing briskly, and thereby to reduce the excessive humidity that prevails in the Andes Amazon.

Who were the builders of the tombs?

They were the Chachapoyas, whose ancestors, to start the second half of the first millennium AD, from mountain areas should, armed and in Andean
culture, to settle in northern spaces corresponding to the Andes Amazon region.

We interpret that as a starting point, this phenomenon could be due to a state project emerged in the aftermath of the Tiahuanaco-Huari culture, due
to population growth which by then was becoming more acute.

This population explosion pressure on various groups to expand the agricultural frontier on the coast and in the mountains has been extremely
limited.

Thanks. The peruvian government is so proud of it, that they put into circulation the new currency of a "Sol" (sun), alluding to the Karajia
Sarcophagi. The coin is part of a collection where are also other interesting sites included. If you are into numismatic, you'll want to have it.

Awesome! I love this stuff and have never seen these. My first thoughts were that they looked Sumerian or Norse. With the recent Sumerian related
discoveries in Peru, and the white-skinned visitors detail, it seems very possible. I also read about the vertical sarcophagi in Sumerian
archaeology. If Easter Island is also Sumerian connected, that would be even better. Great find!

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